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Digital download of album featuring music performed during the acclaimed

March 2012 Festival available for pre-order from the iTunes Store today

On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, Michael Tilson Thomas(MTT) and the San Francisco Symphony(SFS) will release American Mavericks, a hybrid SACD recording featuring rarely recorded works by three American composers, Henry Cowell, Lou Harrison and Edgard Varèse on SFS Media, the Orchestra’s in-house label. The album includes Henry Cowell’s Synchrony and his Piano Concerto with Jeremy Denk, Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra with Paul Jacobs, and Edgard Varèse’s Amériques. The performances were all recorded live in concert at Davies Symphony Hall and feature composers and works from the San Francisco Symphony’s American Mavericks festival dedicated to America’s innovative musical heritage of the 20th century. The American Mavericks album can be pre-ordered starting today, October 23, from the iTunes Store and on SACD from the San Francisco Symphony Store at sfsymphony.org/store. American Mavericks will be available for purchase at music retailers everywhere on Tuesday, November 13. A short 6-minute video about American Mavericks featuring concert footage and interviews with Michael Tilson Thomas and soloists Jeremy Denk and Paul Jacobs can be viewed at http://bit.ly/AmMavRecording2012.

The recording opens with Menlo Park native Henry Cowell’s Synchrony, followed by his Piano Concerto featuring soloist Jeremy Denk, who taps into the far-flung imagination of Cowell’s signature forearm tone clusters. MTT says of Cowell’s Piano Concerto, “The piece is fun, swashbuckling, and outrageous, and it takes a very special spirit such as Jeremy Denk to really put this over with the fervor with which it was meant to be played.”

Bay Area composer Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Organ and Percussion featuring soloist Paul Jacobsis a work fusing sounds both rich and brilliant. The 1972 concerto utilizes a variety of percussion instruments from glockenspiel, vibraphone, celesta, and tube chimes to oxygen tanks and wood drums built by Harrison’s partner William Colvig. The solo organ part requires Henry Cowell-style tone clusters played with the palm of the hand and specially-cut wooden slabs. MTT calls this concerto “an overwhelming sonic spectacular!” MTT has a long history of performing Lou Harrison’s works. In the fall of 1995, he opened his inaugural concert as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony with the world premiere of Harrison’s Parade, a composition MTT and the SFS commissioned for the occasion.

French-born American composer Edgard Varèse is revered by musicians as diverse as Frank Zappa and Robert Lamm, keyboardist for the pop group Chicago. Closing the American Mavericks recording, his Amériques requires an enormous 129 piece orchestra and is instantly recognizable for its signature siren and 13-person percussion section. Varèse wrote it three years after his emigration to the US and meant it as “a meditation, or the impression of a stranger who asks himself about the extraordinary possibilities of our civilization.” The work features a battery of percussion and overwhelming orchestral sonics to portray Varèse’s images of his new home. In New York magazine, Justin Davidson enthusiastically described the Orchestra’s performances of Amériques in New York City as “a rigorous evocation of a freak-out.” A longtime favorite of MTT’s, the SFS performed Amériques in both American Mavericks Festivals – in 2000 and 2012.

MTT and the SFS have been praised by critics for innovative programming and for bringing the works of American composers to the forefront. David Littlejohn, in the Wall Street Journal, called MTT, now in his 18th season as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony, “an indefatigable champion of American music.” In his first season as Music Director, Tilson Thomas included an American work on nearly every one of his San Francisco Symphony programs, and ended the season with An American Festival, a groundbreaking two-week celebration of American music and precursor to the 2000 and 2012 American Mavericks festivals. The American Mavericks festival has become an icon of American orchestral music. In Spring 2012, as part of the San Francisco Symphony’s 2011-2012 Centennial Season, the festival featured, in addition to the works on this release, fully staged performances of John Cage’s Songbooks with Meredith Monk, Jessye Norman, and Joan LaBarbara and four world premieres by composers Mason Bates, John Adams, Meredith Monk, and Morton Subotnick, in performances both in San Francisco and on tour to Ann Arbor, Chicago, and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In the New Yorker Alex Ross opined, “Tilson Thomas’s crusade on behalf of what he calls ‘American Mavericks’ tradition is among the finest things that he or any conductor has undertaken in recent years.” Starring the work of composers whose art influenced and changed the face of American music-making, the spirit of the festival is a hallmark of the San Francisco Symphony’s artistic values. Resources about the American Maverick composers is at americanmavericks.org and a blog documenting the 2012 festival can be found at americanmavericks.org /blog. A book about the first American Mavericks festival of 2000 published by the University of California Press is available from the San Francisco Symphony Store.

The San Francisco Symphony’s recording series on SFS Media reflects the artistic identity of its programming, including its commitment to performing the work of maverick composers alongside that of the core classical masterworks. Later this season, MTT and the SFS are scheduled to release a new recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 recorded at the close of their Centennial Season in 2012.
All SFS Media recordings are available from the Symphony Store in Davies Symphony Hall and online at sfsymphony.org/store as well as other major retailers. The recordings can also be purchased as downloads from iTunes, Amazon and other digital outlets. SFS Media recordings are distributed by harmonia mundi U.S., SRI in Canada, Avie Records internationally, and by IODA to digital outlets.

David Fray joins the Orchestra in performances of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22

Conductor Jaap van Zwedenmakes his San Francisco Symphony(SFS) debut in performances of Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 on October 24, 25, 26, and 28 at Davies Symphony Hall. Pianist David Frayjoins the Orchestra in performances of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22, a work he and van Zweden recorded together. Opening the program is the Prelude to Act I from Wagner’s Lohengrin.

Amsterdam-born Jaap van Zwedenhas risen rapidly in little more than a decade to become one of today’s most sought-after conductors. Acclaimed for the intensity of his performances and the depth and clarity of his musicianship, he has been Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2008, and is also Honorary Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and Radio Chamber Orchestras (having been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director from 2005-2011). He works as a guest with the most prestigious orchestras worldwide, including the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, and London Philharmonic Orchestra, and has appeared at the BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall and the Tanglewood and Aspen Festivals. In November 2011 van Zweden was named as the recipient of Musical America’s 2012 Conductor of the Year Award in recognition of his critically-acclaimed work as Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

French pianist David Fraywas named Newcomer of the Year by BBC Music Magazine in 2008. Since then, he has performed as soloist with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony. He was also awarded the “Instrumentalist of the Year-Piano” award by ECHO Classic in 2009. Fray made is San Francisco Symphony debut in May 2010, performing Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto under Christoph Eschenbach. Fray has collaborated frequently with Jaap van Zweden, most recently at the BBC Proms in 2011. They have also recorded Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 together on Virgin Classics.

Vasily Petrenko leads the San Francisco Symphony(SFS) in performances of Arvo Pärt’s Fratres, Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome October 4-6 at Davies Symphony Hall. Pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzetmakes his SFS debut in these performances.

Vasily Petrenkois currently Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and, beginning in the 2013-2014 season, will become Music Director of the Oslo Symphony. Petrenko is also Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and was recently named Principal Guest Conductor of the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. With the RLPO he has made numerous recordings, Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony which won the 2009 Classic FM/Gramophone Orchestral Recording of the Year, and Rachmaninoff’s complete piano concertos with pianist Simon Trpčeski. He last appeared with the SFS in October 2011 in performances with violinist Joshua Bell.

French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzetwas the recipient of a 2011 Gramophone Award and a 2012 BBC Music Magazine award for his recent recording of works by Ravel, Debussy, and Massenet on the Chandos label. He also was named Artist of the Year at the 2012 International Classical Music Awards in May 2012. Bavouzet is Artistic Director of the Lofoten Piano Festival in Norway and makes his SFS debut with these appearances.

Thursday, October 4 at 2 pm
Friday, October 5 at 8 pm
Saturday, October 6 at 8 pm

PRE-CONCERT TALK: Susan Key will give an “Inside Music” talk from the stage one hour prior to each concert. Free to all concert ticket holders; doors open 15 minutes before.

BROADCAST: These concerts will be broadcast on Classical 89.9/90.3/104.9 KDFC and kdfc.com at a later date to be announced.

TICKETS: $15-$150. Tickets are available at sfsymphony.org, by phone at 415-864-6000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall Box Office, on Grove Street between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street in San Francisco.

FROM SF GATE BLOG BY THOMAS GLADYSZ — On Saturday July 14th, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival will show Pandora’s Box. Today, it is considered one of the great films of all time, largely in part because of the stunning performance given by Louise Brooks in the role of Lulu. Saturday’s event marks the second time in the Festival’s 17 year history that G.W. Pabst’s 1929 masterpiece has been shown. However, it is the first time that this very special version of the film has been seen anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Pandora’s Box screens Saturday

For locals, and for Louise Brooks fans everywhere, this San Francisco screening is a must attend event. That’s because the San Francisco Silent Film Festival is showing a new and true, frame-by-frame, digital restoration of Pandora’s Box. And by all reports, it is gorgeous. Not available on DVD, this restoration has only been shown twice before anywhere in the world. And what’s more, the team responsible for the restoration are local residents Angela Holm, David Ferguson and Vincent Pirozzi. They will be introducing the event at the Castro theater.

Controversial, censored, cut, and critically disregarded when it first debuted, Pandora’s Box is today considered one of great silent films. This restoration, the Festival’s centerpiece event, was funded by silent movie enthusiast and Louise Brooks partisan Hugh Hefner. It may come as close as we will ever get to director Pabst’s original vision – and Brooks’ original luminescence.

This screening is also significant as it marks something of return for the character of Lulu, whose creator was almost born in San Francisco. As most filmgoers know,Pandora’s Box is based on two plays, Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora’s Box (1904), by the German writer Frank Wedekind (1864 – 1918). Today, he is best known as the author of Spring Awakening (1891), which six years ago was turned into a hugely popular Broadway musical.

What’s little known is that Wedekind’s parents were European immigrants resident in San Francisco in the years following the 1849 Gold Rush. His German father was a physician and progressive democrat whose participation in the Revolutions of 1848 (in the German states) led him to exile in America. Wedekind’s Swiss mother was an attractive singer and actress twenty-three years his junior. This unlikely and unconventional union has led some scholars to speculate that the relationship between Wedekind’s parents could have served as a model for the similar, unconventional relationship between the older and respected Dr. Schon and the much younger showgirl Lulu in Pandora’s Box.

Of course, such things are open to interpretation. However, what we do know is that Friedrich Wedekind and Emilie Kammerer’s second child – the future writer – was conceived in San Francisco, and born in what is now Hanover, Germany. According to Wedekind’s biography, early in the pregnancy the homesick couple risked a return to their homeland, and stayed. And that’s where Benjamin Frank(lin) Wedekind, named for the free-thinking American writer, was born in 1864.

To mark the occasion of the first ever showing of the restored Pandora’s Box in San Francisco, what follows is a brief, discursive history of the film’s reception in the United States and the greater Bay Area.

Pandora’s Box had its world premiere in February of 1929 at the Gloria–Palast theater in Berlin. German reviews of the time were mixed, even dismissive. (See the essay in the Festival program for a fuller account.) Some months later, when Pandora’s Box opened at a single theater in New York City, American newspaper and magazine critics were similarly ambivalent, and even hostile.

In its now infamous review, the New York Times critic stated, “In an introductory title the management sets forth that it has been prevented by the censors from showing the film in its entirety, and it also apologizes for what it termed ‘an added saccharine ending’.” Adding salt to the wound, the Times critic noted, “Miss Brooks is attractive and she moves her head and eyes at the proper moment, but whether she is endeavoring to express joy, woe, anger or satisfaction it is often difficult to decide.” Ouch.

Despite poor reviews, the film drew crowds. The New York Sun reported that Pandora’s Box ” . . . has smashed the Fifty-fifth Street Playhouse’s box office records,” and was held over for another week. With its brief run completed, Pandora’s Box fell into an obscurity from which it barely escaped.

Things have changed since the late 1920s, and the reputation of Pandora’s Box has continued to grow. The film has been screened numerous times in the last few decades, and perhaps nowhere more often than in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chances are if you are still reading this article you saw an earlier print at the Castro Theater in San Francisco or the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, where between those two venues the film has been shown nearly two dozen times since the mid-1970s.

As far as I have been able to document, the first screening of Pandora’s Box in the City of San Francisco took place at the old Surf Theater in January of 1974, as part of a double bill with The Last Laugh. A couple of years earlier, in October of 1972, the Pacific Film Archive had screened it in Berkeley in what could have been one of the film’s earliest East Bay screenings.

One of those early East Bay screenings was likely prompted by film critic Pauline Kael, who was then living in the Bay Area and had a hand in local film exhibition. At that time, Kael was also corresponding with Louise Brooks, who was living in Rochester, New York. On at least one occasion in their exchange of letters, Kael implored Brooks to come to the Bay Area to be present at a screening of Pandora’s Box. But Brooks, who was reclusive, wouldn’t budge.

Louise Brooks made a rare personal appearance at the American Theater in Oakland while in the Bay Area filming the now lost 1927 comedy, Rolled Stockings.

In all likelihood, the very first screening of Pandora’s Box in the Bay Area took place in 1962, when the Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey screened a print ofPandora’s Box as part of its Peninsula Film Seminar. The event was organized around a visit by Brooks’ early champion and friend James Card, who brought with him a small collection of rare films, including a messy, unrestored version of the Pabst masterpiece.

Card’s print of Pandora’s Box was probably one of the very few prints of the film in the United States. And in all likelihood, Pandora’s Box and the other films shown at the Seminar were works the attendees had only heard of but not seen.

According to newspaper reports of the time, the Peninsula Film Seminar was a big deal in local film circles. And notably, it was attended by Bay Area cognoscenti like Pauline Kael, future San Francisco poet Laureate Jack Hirschman, a few East Bay film promoters involved with the Berkeley Film Guild, and others.

And there, in Monterey, the seeds were first sown for the film’s now large reputation in the Bay Area. Follow this link to see a list of all known screenings of Pandora’s Box in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you know of other early screenings of this historic film, please send an email.

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival takes place July 12 through 15 at the Castro Theater in San Francisco. More info, including a compete program of films, can be found at www.silentfilm.org

Thomas Gladysz is a Bay Area arts journalist and early film buff, and the Director of the Louise Brooks Society, an internet-based archive and international fan club devoted to the silent film star. Gladysz has contributed to books on the actress, organized exhibits, appeared on television and radio, and introduced Brooks’ films around the world. He will be signing copies of his “Louise Brooks edition” of The Diary of a Lost Girl following the screening of Pandora’s Box at this year’s San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, June 21, 2012 – Concerts by Wilson Phillips and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and holiday concerts with Pink Martini, Chris Botti, Judy Collins, The Count Basie Orchestra, and Peter & the Wolf with narrator John Lithgow are newly added highlights of the 2012-13 schedule at Davies Symphony Hall, announced today by the San Francisco Symphony. New additions to the holiday concert lineup also include the annual Colors of Christmas shows with Peabo Bryson, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., James Ingram, and Stephanie Mills; Handel’s Messiah with the Orchestra and SFS Chorus; Mariachi Sol de México de Jóse Hernández; screenings of The Snowman animated film with live orchestra accompaniment; ‘Twas the Night and Deck the Hall concerts; and the 2012 New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball. Vocalist Bobby McFerrin performs his “Spirit You All” program March 30.

Tickets go on sale for all added special and holiday concerts Tuesday, June 26 at 10 a.m. at www.sfsymphony.org, by phone at 415-864-6000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall box office on Grove Street between Franklin Street and Van Ness Avenue. Individual tickets for the SF Symphony Opening Gala Concert September 19, with violinist Joshua Bell joining Michael Tilson Thomas and the Orchestra, are also on sale June 26. Individual tickets for all other concerts in the Symphony’s 2012-13 season, which begins September 5, go on sale Monday, July 23 at 8 a.m. at the box office and 10 a.m. at www.sfsymphony.organd at 415-864-6000.

The Symphony’s holiday concerts include several particularly suited for children and families to attend together, with several offering half-price tickets for children 17 and under. San Francisco Symphony musicians and special guests perform two Deck the Hall family concerts of holiday music December 2, followed by entertainment, refreshments, and arts and crafts for children. On December 8, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra will perform its ever-popular Peter and the Wolf afternoon concerts, featuring John Lithgow as narrator. Ragnar Bohlinleads soprano Joélle Harvey, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson-Cano, tenor Andrew Stenson, bass-baritone Michael Sumuel, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorusand Orchestra in three performances of Handel’s Messiah on December 13, 14, and 15. The animated children’s film The Snowman will be screened December 21 at Mondavi Center at UC Davis and December 22 at Davies Symphony Hall, with live accompaniment by the San Francisco Symphony and the Pacific Boychoir. Mariachi Sol de México de Jóse Hernándezbrings Mexican and traditional Christmas favorites to Davies Symphony Hall December 21. SFS Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlinleads soprano Lisa Vroman, and members of the Orchestra and Chorus in three ’Twas the Night Christmas concerts, featuring favorite carols and sing-alongs, December 22, 23, and 24. The lobby of Davies Symphony Hall will be transformed for the holidays into an evergreen wonderland with towering trees, each one uniquely decorated with sparkling decorations made by kids from local schools and volunteers from community groups.

The female trio of Wilson Phillips performs covers of Beach Boys and The Mamas and the Papas songs and their own hits on November 17. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings bring their gritty soul and funk on November 24. On November 28 and 29, multicultural orchestra Pink Martini and vocalist China Forbes return to San Francisco for two holiday concerts with the Symphony. On November 30 and December 1, trumpeter Chris Botti performs a holiday program, playing both with his band and with the Orchestra. The annual Colors of Christmas concerts return to Davies Symphony Hall as vocalists Peabo Bryson, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., James Ingram, and Stephanie Mills sing Christmas songs and their own pop hits on December 10, 11, and 12. On December 16, The Count Basie Orchestra performs holiday hits, jazz standards, and swing. Folk legend Judy Collins sings with the Orchestra December 19.

On December 31, revelers at the city’s most elegant New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball take over Davies Symphony Hall and count down to 2013, with music from the San Francisco Symphony, soprano Heidi Stober, and Dance Through Time, and dancing to big band music with The Peter Mintun Orchestra, swinging standards with The Martini Brothers, and Neil Diamond covers by Super Diamond.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY OPENING GALA CONCERT

Wednesday, September 19 at 8 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

Single tickets go on sale June 26 for Michael Tilson Thomas leading the San Francisco Symphony and special guest violinist Joshua Bell in the Symphony’s 2012-13 Opening Gala concert. Bell performs Chausson’s Poème and Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo capriccioso. The Orchestra also performs selections from Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette and Ravel’s Boléro. This black-tie evening begins with a sparkling wine reception. Following the concert, celebrate at the after-party with live music, dancing, and savory treats from the Bay Area’s finest eateries. Proceeds benefit the San Francisco Symphony’s education and community programs, providing music education to more than 75,000 Bay Area children each year. Concert tickets include access to the Opening Gala Promenade and post-concert parties.

WILSON PHILLIPS

Saturday, November 17 at 8 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

The four-time Grammy® nominated group Wilson Phillips takes the stage at Davies Symphony Hall, performing songs from their new release Dedicated, which features covers of The Beach Boys and The Mamas and the Papas. One of the best-selling female groups of all time, Wilson Phillips is Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson (daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys) and Chynna Phillips (daughter of John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas). The trio reinvents the songs of their parents and perform their beloved hits “California Dreamin’,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Good Vibrations,” and more, as well as their own best-known songs. In spring 2012, the lifelong friends starred in Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On, a TV Guide Network reality show documenting the group’s adventures in and out of the recording studio.

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SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS

Saturday, November 24 at 8 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

Steeped in gospel, soul, and funk, this nine-piece Brooklyn collective has continued to electrify fans the world over with its authentic, heartfelt sound. Their four critically-acclaimed albums recall an honest, analog sound reminiscent of Motown and Stax Records, and have thrust Jones, a native of Augusta, GA, and crew into the multimedia limelight. Their live show has attracted collaborators including David Byrne, They Might Be Giants, Rufus Wainwright, Lou Reed, and Michael Bublé. The Dap-Kings’ musical chops have also been in high-demand by artists including Al Green. Jones celebrated her silver-screen debut in the Denzel Washington-led film, The Great Debaters, in which she acted, sang, and recorded the majority of the movie’s soundtrack. In June 2012, the band appeared at the Bonnaroo Festival, and heads next to Europe for a month-long tour, including dates in Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Turkey, Italy and Norway.

PINK MARTINI WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

Wednesday, November 28 and Thursday, November 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

The Portland, Oregon-based “little orchestra” was created in 1994 by Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale to play at political fundraisers for progressive causes. Fronted by multilingual and multitalented China Forbes, the band plays a repertoire that consists of an eclectic blend of 1930’s Cuban dance orchestra, classical chamber ensemble, Brazilian street band, and Japanese film noir. In 2010 the band released Joy To The World—a festive, multi-denominational holiday album featuring songs from around the globe. Its previous recordings–Hang On Little Tomato in 2004, Hey Eugene! in 2007, and Splendor In The Grass in 2009—have been popular worldwide; the group made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival and in the years following went on to tour Europe, Asia, and the United States. Equally at home performing its eclectic repertoire on concert stages and in smoky bars, Pink Martini draws a wildly diverse crowd. The ensemble made its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra in 1999 and has since performed with other orchestras across the country including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony, and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Donato Cabrera conducts.

CHRIS BOTTI WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

Trumpeter Chris Botti performs material from his new album, Impressions, with his band and the Orchestra, conducted by Brett Kelly. Impressions expresses Botti’s love for rich, evocative melodies across a wide variety of genres, and includes music by Chopin, Gershwin, Harold Arlen, R. Kelly, Randy Newman, Bob Thiele and David Weiss, Ivan Lins, Astor Piazzolla, and Cesar Portillo de la Luz, as well as a pair of songs co-written by Botti with Herbie Hancock and David Foster. Botti was persuaded to make a lifetime commitment to the trumpet when at 12 he heard Miles Davis play “My Funny Valentine.” After attending Indiana University, and studying with David Baker, trumpet teacher Bill Adam, Woody Shaw and saxophonist George Coleman, he spent his early career crafting his skills in the Buddy Rich Big Band and playing with artists from Frank Sinatra to Natalie Cole and Joni Mitchell. Botti played extensively with Paul Simon, and had an especially creative association with Sting. His records have sold more than those by any jazz instrumentalist in the world.

DECK THE HALL CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY CONCERT AND PARTY

Sunday, December 2 at 11:00 and 3:00 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

The San Francisco Symphony’s annual Deck the Hall event celebrates the holiday season with a magical stage show designed for children ages three to 10. Members of the cast of Beach Blanket Babylon,
Dance Through Time, San Francisco Boys Chorus, and SF Jazz High School All-Stars Orchestra perform. Inaugurated more than 30 years ago by the late Louise M. Davies, this holiday classic is a Symphony tradition. The post-show party in the lobbies includes a variety of entertainment, arts and craft activities for children, and refreshments. Special Angel Packages are available with premium concert seating and a pre-concert reception with gourmet treats, holiday crafts, and special time with Santa Claus for the kids.

PETER AND THE WOLF with JOHN LITHGOW and the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Saturday, December 8 at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

Actor John Lithgow joins the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra as narrator in two performances of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. The Orchestra will also perform Lithgow’s The Bandshell Next to the Zoo, and festive holiday songs for the whole family to sing. SFSYO Music Director and conductor Donato Cabrera conducts.

COLORS OF CHRISTMAS Peabo Bryson, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., James Ingram, and Stephanie Mills with the San Francisco Symphony

Monday, December 10, Tuesday, December 11, and

Wednesday, December 12 at 8:00 p.m. in Davies Symphony Hall

Peabo Bryson, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr, James Ingram and Stephanie Mills celebrate at the annual Colors of Christmas concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, performing traditional Christmas favorites and their individual hits. Bryson’s soft-rock/R&B hits include the Top 10 hit “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again,” the Grammy® Award-winning “Beauty and the Beast” (with Celine Dion), and “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme)” with Regina Belle. McCoo and Davis are best known for their hits with The 5th Dimension, including “Aquarius,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” and “Last Night (I Didn’t Get to Sleep)” and R&B crooner Ingram had major hits with songs including “Baby, Come to Me,” “I Don’t Have the Heart,” and “Yah Mo B There.”

HANDEL’S MESSIAH With the San Francisco Symphony and SF Symphony Chorus

Thursday, December 13, Friday, December 14, and Saturday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

The Count Basie Orchestra embodies swing, style, rhythm and soul, and the ensemble brings its classic brand of big band jazz to Davies Symphony Hall for a night of jazz and pop standards, and its unique, foot-tapping take on favorite Christmas carols.

JUDY COLLINS WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

Wednesday, December 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

The folk and pop vocalist and songwriter Judy Collins joins the San Francisco Symphony for a performance of her timeless songs and hits as well as some holiday favorites. Collins’ Grammy® award-winning contemplative songs, paired with her creamy voice and heartfelt delivery, have been entertaining and enthralling fans for many years. In this special holiday performance, Collins takes the audience on a journey showcasing her legendary, wide-ranging vocal talents, performing ballads from her vast songbook, along with special holiday songs, all delivered in her singular style.

MARIACHI SOL DE MÉXICO DE JÓSE HERNÁNDEZ

Friday, December 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

The 14-piece Grammy®-nominated ensemble Mariachi Sol de Méxicode Jóse Hernández returns to Davies Symphony Hall for a colorful celebration of Mexico’s Christmas traditions. Mariachi Sol de México has performed with artists including Selena, Juan Gabriel, Jose Feliciano, Luis Miguel, Vikki Carr, Rocio Durcal, Lucha Villa, Maria Conchita Alonso, Paloma San Basilio, Emilio Navaira, Lola Beltran, Vicente Fernandez, The Beach Boys, and Willie Nelson. The music of Mariachi Sol de México has been heard on the soundtracks of Sea Biscuit, The Old Gringo, American Me, Don Juan de Marco, Disney’s The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, A Million to Juan, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. They have recorded more than a dozen CDs, including the Latin Grammy-nominated Tequila con Limón and the 25th Anniversario Jóse Hernández y Su Mariachi Sol de México, also nominated for a Grammy® Award.

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THE SNOWMAN Animated film and sing-along with the San Francisco Symphony

Friday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Mondavi Center, UC Davis,Saturday, December 22 at 11:00 a.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

This charming animated 26-minute film (Dianne Jackson, 1982) tells the tale of a young boy’s poignant friendship with a snowman. The San Francisco Symphony performs the score to this family-friendly movie, led by Resident Conductor Donato Cabrerawith the Pacific Boychoir. After the movie, hear Christmas favorites performed by the Orchestra. The audience is invited to sing along with the Orchestra to some great holiday chestnuts.

’TWAS THE NIGHT Carols and sing-alongs with members of the SF Symphony Chorus and Orchestra

Saturday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, December 23 at 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 24 at 2:00 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

This special Christmas concert offers conductor and SF Symphony Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlinleading soprano Lisa Vroman, members of the San Francisco Symphony, and members of the SFS Chorus in beloved Christmas carols and favorite childhood Christmas songs, plus audience sing-alongs and traditional favorites.

Ring in the New Year at the city’s most elegant celebration, the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball with the San Francisco Symphony. The December 31 event stars the San Francisco Symphony, conductor Michael Francis, soprano Heidi Stober, and members of Dance Through Time. Everyone attending the event receives a complimentary mask as they enter the beautifully decorated lobby. Beginning at 8 p.m., The Martini Brothersentertain and perform their “swingin’ cocktail music” in the lobby. Starting at 9 p.m., the Orchestra performs polkas, waltzes, and dances onstage in Davies Symphony Hall. Following the concert, guests are invited to celebrate and dance on stage to The Peter Mintun Orchestra. Super Diamond, covering the hits and gems of the one and only Neil Diamond, entertains in the First Tier lobby. Enjoy complimentary sparkling wine and desserts as the clock strikes midnight, 2,013 colorful balloons cascade from the ceiling, and the crowd welcomes in 2013.

A special pre-concert dinner package includes a cocktail reception beginning at 6 p.m. followed by a sumptuous three-course dinner (wine included) in the lobby of the War Memorial Opera House. The dinner package also includes sparkling wine served in the Loge Level lobby at intermission. Dinner packages begin at $160. Call the Davies Symphony Hall box office for more details on the special pre-concert dinners at (415) 864-6000, or visit sfsymphony.org/newyears.

BOBBY MCFERRIN

Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 8 p.m. at Davies Symphony Hall

With a four-octave range and a vast array of vocal techniques, Bobby McFerrin is no mere singer; he is a true musical Renaissance man, a vocal explorer who has combined jazz, folk and a multitude of world music influences–choral, a cappella, and classical music–with his own ingredients. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, he is also a world-renowned classical conductor, the creator of “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, and a passionate spokesman for music education. McFerrin sings his “Spirit You All” program, an homage to his father (the opera singer Robert McFerrin, Sr.) and the generations of Americans who sang of our shared joy and pain through the songs commonly known as Negro spirituals. His recordings have sold over 20 million copies, and his collaborations, including those with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock, have established him as an ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds. As a conductor, he has worked with the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Vienna Philharmonic.

Due to popular demand, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) has announced the extension of the Bay Area premiere of The Scottsboro Boys, the critically acclaimed musical based on a tragic chapter in American history. Tickets are now on sale through Sunday, July 22. Preview performances begin Thursday, June 21, with opening night scheduled for Wednesday, June 27. Tickets for all performances are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228.

Nominated for twelve 2011 Tony Awards, The Scottsboro Boys features music and lyrics by the legendary Broadway songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman), book by David Thompson (Steel Pier, Chicago), musical direction by Eric Ebbenga, and direction and choreography by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Contact). Jeff Whiting will serve as associate director and choreographer. Tony and Emmy Award winner Hal Linden (Barney Miller, The Rothschilds on Broadway) joins the stellar cast as The Interlocutor.

Based on the notorious Scottsboro trials of the 1930s, The Scottsboro Boys tells the story of nine African American teenagers—ranging from 12 to 19 years old—convicted of raping two white girls on a Southern Railroad freight train while hitching a ride to Memphis in search of employment. Despite the fact that one of the original complainants later denied that any rape had occurred, the nine teenagers were subjected to years of brutal imprisonment, death-sentence verdicts, and denied appeals. Reclaiming the framework of a minstrel show and “turning the taboo form on its head,” explains Stroman, the musical—through high-energy dance numbers and exuberant music—courageously addresses one of the most abhorrent episodes in American history.

Based on the notorious 1931 “Scottsboro Case,” The Scottsboro Boys tells the story of nine African American teenagers—ranging from 13 to 19 years old—convicted of raping two white girls on a Southern Railroad freight train while hitching a ride to Memphis in search of employment. Despite the fact that one of the original complainants later denied that any rape had occurred, the nine teenagers were subjected to years of brutal imprisonment, death-sentence verdicts, denied appeals, and long-delayed pardons for a crime they did not commit. Reclaiming the framework of a minstrel show, the musical—through high-energy dance numbers and upbeat music—courageously addresses one of the most abhorrent episodes in American history.

The Scottsboro Boys had its world premiere in February 2010 at the Vineyard Theatre in New York City. The show moved to the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis in July 2010, where it played to sold-out houses, before moving to Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre in October 2010. Hailed as “a masterwork, both daring and highly entertaining” (New York Post) and “a theatrical triumph” (Philadelphia Magazine), the show was nominated for twelve 2011 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and was the recipient of the 2010 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical. The show was also nominated for nine 2010 Drama Desk Awards and received a Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Production of a Musical.

Says A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff: “Susan Stroman is an American treasure whose work has never been seen on the A.C.T. stage. It’s such an honor to welcome her to San Francisco with this seamless, passionate, and imaginative staging of Kander and Ebb’s fascinating tale. With The Scottsboro Boys, Stroman manages to fuse astonishing dancing with heartfelt and complex storytelling in a unique and masterful way that will provide a wonderful complement to A.C.T.’s history of edgy musicals like The Threepenny Opera, Urinetown, Sweeney Todd, and last season’s production of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City.”

The Scottsboro Boys marks the fourth and final collaboration for John Kander, Fred Ebb, Susan Stroman, and David Thompson. Previous collaborations included the 1987 off-Broadway revival of Flora, The Red Menace, the 1991 off-Broadway production of And the World Goes ’Round, and the 1997 Broadway production of Steel Pier. Looking at famous trials of the 20th century as inspiration, the four were immediately drawn to the compelling story of the Scottsboro Boys trials. Says Kander: “As a young boy growing up in Kansas City, I remember when the Scottsboro Boys were first in the headlines. I remember the conversations with my parents about what the trials meant. I am sure there were similar conversations at kitchen tables across the country. I also remember when the headlines began to fade and the Scottsboro Boys gradually disappeared from the national spotlight. As we began to write The Scottsboro Boys, it was immediately apparent why it was so important to tell their story. Behind the headlines, the spectacle, the ongoing trials, and the histrionics of politicians and lawyers was the story of nine young African American boys, determined to prove that they mattered.”

The cast of The Scottsboro Boys features Hal Linden as The Interlocutor, Clifton Duncan as Haywood Patterson, Jared Joseph as Mr. Bones, and JC Montgomery as Mr. Tambo. The cast also includes David Bazemore as Olen Montgomery, Cornelius Bethea as Willie Roberson, Nile Bullock as Eugene Williams, Christopher James Culberson as Andy Wright, Eric Jackson as Clarence Norris, James T. Lane as Ozie Powell/Ruby Bates, Clifton Oliver as Charles Weems/Victoria Price, Clinton Roane as Roy Wright, and C. Kelly Wright as The Lady, with Audrey Martells as an understudy for The Lady and Shavey Brown and Max Kumangai as swings.

A.C.T.’s production of The Scottsboro Boys reunites the original creative team of Jeff Whiting (associate director and choreographer), Beowulf Boritt (scenic design), Toni-Leslie James (costume design), and Ken Billington (lighting design). The creative team also includes Jon Weston (sound design), Eric Santagata (assistant choreographer), Rick Sordelet (fight director), Janet Foster, CSA (casting), and Joshua Halperin (stage manager). This production of The Scottsboro Boys is presented in association with The Old Globe.

A.C.T. will offer numerous InterACT events—many of which are presented free of charge—in association with The Scottsboro Boys that will give patrons opportunities to get closer to the action while making a whole night out of their evening at the theater:

• Audience Prologue: Tue., June 26, at 5:30 p.m.
Get inside the artistic process at this lively preshow discussion with Scottsboro Boys associate director and choreographer Jeff Whiting and a member of the A.C.T. artistic staff.

• Theater on the Couch: Fri., June 29, at 8 p.m.
Led by Mason Turner, chief of psychiatry at San Francisco’s Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, this exciting postshow discussion series explores the minds, motives, and behaviors of the characters and addresses audience questions.

• Audience Exchanges: Tue., July 3, at 7 p.m. | Sun., July 8, at 2 p.m. | Wed, July 11, at 2 p.m.
After the show, stick around for a lively Q&A session with the actors and artists who create the
work onstage.

• OUT with A.C.T.: Wed., July 11, following the 8 p.m. performance
The best LGBT night in town! Mingle with the cast and enjoy free drinks and treats at this popular afterparty. Visit www.act-sf.org/out for information about how to subscribe to OUT nights throughout the season.

• A.C.T. PlayTime Workshop: Saturday, July 14, before the 2 p.m. performance
Get hands-on with the art of theater with the artists who make it happen at this interactive preshow workshop. Doors open at 12:45 p.m.; the workshop will begin promptly at 1 p.m.

Theatre Rhinoceros’ production of 100 Saints You Should Know now extended to July 1st, 2012 at Thick House.

A comedy-drama penned by one of America’s most sensitive playwrights, 100 Saints touches on family love, homosexuality and adolescence. Theresa is estranged from her family and working as a cleaning woman when she finds herself surprised by the unexpected desire to learn how to pray. Matthew, the priest whose rectory she cleans, is stunned and heartbroken by the realization that he no longer knows how to talk to God. When he disappears one day, Theresa feels compelled to track him down, and her search changes both of their lives.

Talkback! Nightly!

After every regular performance of 100 Saints You Should Know there will be a talk back with the Director and/or Cast/Crew Members of the show. Talkbacks begin immediately after the show (approximately at 9:45 on W/TH; 10:15 on F/SAT; 5:15 on SUN) and are covered by the price of your ticket. This program is funded by the Hewlett Foundation.

Kate Fodor (Playwright)

Kate Fodor’s latest play, RX, was produced Off-Broadway as part of Primary Stages’ 2012 season. Her plays have also been produced by Playwrights Horizons, Epic Theatre Ensemble, San Jose Repertory Theatre, London’s Courtyard Theatre, and Chicago’s TimeLine Theatre Company, among others. She has been a resident playwright at New Dramatists since 2008. Kate’s play Hannah and Martin received the Kennedy Center’s Roger L. Stevens Award, a Joseph Jefferson Citation, an After Dark Award, and a finalist position for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. 100 Saints You Should Know received the National Theatre Conference’s Stavis Award and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, as well as being named one of the 10 Best Plays of 2007 by Entertainment Weekly and Time Out New York. Her plays are published by Dramatists Play Service and have been anthologized and excerpted in a number of volumes from Smith & Kraus. Kate’s work has been developed at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Hartford Stage and Centre Theater Group. She has been named one of “Eight to Watch” by The New York Times and is currently at work on commissions from Chautauqua Theater Company and The Playwrights’ Center, where she is the recipient of the 2011-2012 McKnight National Residency. -

John Fisher (Director)

John Fisher’s plays include The Joy of Gay Sex, which was produced Off-Broadway, and Medea: The Musical, which was produced in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and as part of the HBO Comedy Arts Festival. Recent projects include Fighting Mac!, named by the Bay Area Reporter as one of the best productions of 2011, SexRev: The José Sarria Experience (a Theatre Rhino production at CounterPULSE), and Red Scare on Sunset at ACT. John is a two-time winner of the Will Glickman Playwright Award, and a recipient of the NEA Project Grant, a GLAAD Media Award, two L.A. Weekly Awards, a Garland Award, two Cable Car Awards, a San Francisco Bay Guardian Goldie Award, and five Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Circle Awards. He holds a Ph.D. in Dramatic Art from the University of California, Berkeley and has taught at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz and at the Yale School of Drama. He has been Executive Artistic Director at Theatre Rhinoceros since 2002. Theatre Rhinoceros, America’s longest running professional queer theatre, develops and produces works of theatre that enlighten, enrich, and explore both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of our queer community.

San Francisco’s original music festival, Stern Grove Festival, announced its 75th Season of admission-free concerts, Sundays at 2:00 p.m. from June 24 through through August 26, 2012 at Sigmund Stern Grove, located at 19 Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco.

This landmark summer season features a mix of performers as diverse as the city it calls home. This summer’s 10-week concerts series features an array of pop and jazz music greats, including ANITA BAKER, SHEILA E, AL JARREAU, OK GO, OZOMATLI, PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND, MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO as well as the City’s three classical institutions—the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY, BALLET AND OPERA. Stern Grove Festival is the only venue in the world where all three of these renowned cultural institutions perform every summer, completely admission-free.

June 24 – The Big Picnic Benefit and Concert

Starring Anita Baker The Family Stone and Glide Ensemble

Stern Grove Festival will inaugurate a new tradition–The Big Picnic, An Opening Day Benefit and Concert to launch the summer season. This special event begins with a benefit party followed by the admission-free concert featuring Anita Baker, The Family Stone, and Glide Ensemble. These three acts, well known for getting the audience out of their seats, will set the tone for a dynamic summer at Stern Grove Festival.

Glide Ensemble, a San Francisco institution, opens the concert with an inspiring blend of gospel, jazz, blues, pop, and soul. The Family Stone, featuring Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees and original founding members of Sly & The Family Stone, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, and Greg Errico, continues the soul-stirring music with their funk-infused sound. And to close the day, Stern Grove Festival is proud to present ANITA BAKER—multiple GRAMMY winner, composer, producer, and all-around superstar, this R&B legend is known for her hit-making sound and smooth vocals.

The performance is dedicated to the memory of Rosalie M. Stern, donor of Stern Grove to San Francisco and founder of the Stern Grove Festival Association. The Big Picnic is presented by Wells Fargo. Concert Sponsors are Sutter Health, Parkmerced, PG&E, Bvlgari, Northern Trust, AT&T, Recology, and Sonoma County Visitors Center. Hotel Sponsor is Hotel Vitale.

July 1 – Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Stone Foxes

It is particularly fitting to have the acclaimed Preservation Hall Jazz Band return to Stern Grove Festival with the sounds of the Big Easy. Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been a significant part of Stern Grove Festival throughout the years and generations of San Franciscans have fond memories of their concerts. This summer’s performance will feature a special commissioned piece celebrating Stern Grove Festival’s 75th year.

Continuing the Bay Area connection for this concert, local San Francisco band The Stone Foxes open the afternoon with their roadhouse-ready blues and rock sound. Founded in 2005, the band’s gritty sound has won them fans throughout the Bay Area.

Hotel Sponsor is Hotel Rex.

July 8 – San Francisco Symphony with Music Director and Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas

and Members of the SFS Chorus

Stern Grove Festival is proud to present what promises to be an extraordinary performance with the San Francisco Symphony. For the first time in over ten years, SFS Music Director and Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas will conduct a concert in the Grove, also featuring members of the SFS Chorus. The histories of Stern Grove Festival and the San Francisco Symphony have been linked since June 1932 when the Symphony performed the first-ever concert at the Grove. This summer’s program, part of the Symphony’s centennial season and marking Stern Grove’s 75th anniversary, will feature Beethoven’s timeless masterpiece, Symphony No. 9, among other works. To mark this milestone, KDFC Radio, 90.3 FM will broadcast this July 8 concert live, further underscoring how performances at Stern Grove Festival are accessible to everyone.

A producer, composer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist and all-around Renaissance man Nitin Sawhney brings cross-cultural cool to the Grove. One of the most talented and recognized producers and songwriters within the British electronic and fusion music scene, Nitin Sawhney is also a respected actor, writer, and scriptwriter.

Also performing is singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello with her eclectic blend of folk, jazz, hip-hop, funk, and rock. Since hitting the Billboard charts with a cover of “Wild Night” with John Mellencamp, Meshell has received ten GRAMMY nominations, performed around the world, and collaborated with artists ranging from Madonna and Basement Jaxx to The Blind Boys of Alabama.

Featuring the first family of Bay Area Latin music, The E Family brings the beat in this one-of- a-kind performance featuring the Pete Escovedo Orchestra, The E Family Band with Pete, Juan, Peter Michael, and Sheila E, and a special performance by Sheila E.

Concert Sponsor is Parkmerced and Hotel Sponsor is Kabuki Springs and Spa.

July 29 – San Francisco Ballet

San Francisco Ballet returns to Stern Grove Festival with artists of the Company performing a selection of works from their current repertory. Renowned for its incomparable level of innovation and exuberance, San Francisco Ballet is one of the premier ballet companies in America.

Hotel Sponsor is Hotel Tomo and Kabuki Springs and Spa.

August 5 – Ozomatli and SMOD

Latin alternative rockers Ozomatli return to Stern Grove Festival with their high-energy, danceable blend of hip-hop, rock, and modern Latin sounds. A Festival favorite, the group will also present a kid-friendly performance at KidStage at noon before the concert.

From Mali, the trio SMOD opens the afternoon with a hip-hop hybrid of West African vocal styles, old school rapping, and modern beats. Their debut album, produced and recorded with international star Manu Chao, was released in 2010 in France.

Re-creating a legendary San Francisco recording session, Al Jarreau and The George Duke Trio reunite for an afternoon of jazz classics.

Jarreau’s career started in San Francisco, where he performed with the George Duke Trio as the house band at the Half/Note jazz club, leading to the 1965 album, Al Jarreau and the George Duke Trio- Live At The Half/Note. Since then, with fans worldwide, Jarreau has racked up seven GRAMMY nominations and scores of international music awards for his signature vocal stylings.

Born in San Rafael, George Duke was a mainstay on the 1960’s San Francisco jazz scene and studied at the Conservatory of Music. A respected musician, song-writer, music director, and producer, Duke has worked with greats like Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, and Dizzy Gillespie and contemporary R&B artists like Jeffrey Osbourne, Gladys Knight, and Anita Baker.

Opening the afternoon and rounding out the Bay Area focus of this concert is Oakland-based neo- soul singer Mara Hruby, a fast-rising star with a smooth, jazzy vocal sound and a singular style. After performing as a dancer and singer backing other Bay Area artists, she recently released her debut EP, From Her Eyes.

Stern Grove Festival is proud to welcome back the San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. The afternoon’s program features soprano Leah Crocetto, tenor Michael Fabiano, and more soloists performing a selection of operatic favorites.

Today’s performance is dedicated to the memory of Elise S. Haas, Festival Chair from 1956 to 1968. Hotel Sponsor is Hotel Vitale.

August 26 – OK Go and The Family Crest

Known for their viral videos and quirky sound, alternative rockers OK Go close the 75th Season

in celebratory style. At the forefront of an emerging class of creative entrepreneurs making art in both digital and physical spaces, the GRAMMY-nominated group’s self-directed videos have been viewed over 150 million times on YouTube. Their most recent video, which debuted during the Super Bowl, received 200 million hits in less than 24 hours the next day.

San Francisco indie orchestral collective, The Family Crest, opens the afternoon with their fusion of rock, classical, folk, and jazz. Their debut LP, The Village, was pre-released at SXSW this year and will be released nationally this summer.

Playwright Daniel Talbot’s Slipping makes its Bay Area premiere at New Conservatory Theatre Center now through July 1st. The story is about “Eli” – a really out and reticent Gay high school student long-accustomed to the physical taunts and verbal jabs that simply go with the territory. The play combines two time frames – that was then, this is now. Eli and Jan (his mother) used to live in San Francisco. Now they’re in Des Moines. Not much going on in Des Moines for an angry skinny boy with punkish blue hair, a camera around his neck, who smokes too much, and has taken to cutting himself again. Since her husband’s death – and the relocation to Iowa to become an English teacher and start all over – Jan has jumped into an affair with a younger man, not one of her students. No mistaking the variety of moaning coming from her bedroom. But Eli has plenty of noise going on his head to block it, some of it about missing an abusive relationship with Chris – a wild kid back in the City who would threaten to kill him should he open his mouth about their big secret. But now, Eli has outed Jake – the gawky guy in Art Class who is into sports and, since their experimental encounters, believes he and Eli may have a future together. Eli and his mother reach the overdue boiling point, firing the F-word back and forth. He cuts his wrist. Jake crawls into bed with him at the hospital. No secrets now. Perhaps Eli will learn to accept love.

Evan Johnson (Lois Tema Photography)

Whatever may be missing in Talbott’s script is made-up for in the intense and compelling performances by its cast and the fine direction of Andrew Nance. The situations are topical and the characters are familiar. New Conservatory Theatre’s production of Slipping is a positive move in its continuous effort to bring complex issues to the stage and to encourage new playwrights who challenge the status quo with the benefits of excellent production values and an increasingly loyal subscription audience.

“To me,” says Daniel Talbott, “the play is about reaching out. I had this really intense relationship for a long time, and that relationship—having someone love me and be there for me—was what sent me over the edge and really kind of crashed me out. The play is about that and the need to break that open in order to start to become healthy.”

This year, the Year of the Dragon 2012, the Chinese Historical Society of America revitalizes its museum with an infusion of art. CHSA has reached out to its artistic community to create works that interpret and respond to the themes presented in its history galleries. The first of these art installations, Remnants: Artists Respond to the Chinese American Experience, includes five artists whose works focus on personal narrative, memory and family – concepts that characterize Chinese America. The exhibition, on view April 12 through December 15, 2012, features works by Nancy Hom, Michael Jang, Lenora Lee, Cynthia Tom, and Flo Oy Wong. Remnants debuts with an opening reception on Thursday, April 12, 6pm to 9pm at the CHSA Museum, 965 Clay Street, San Francisco.

“The inauguration of the Remnants exhibition signals a new creative approach for our exhibition program,” says CHSA executive director Sue Lee. “We are always looking for ways to offer our visitors a deeper understanding of the Chinese American experience.”

The centerpiece of Remnants is a site-specific installation of the set from the performance “Passages” by Lenora Lee Dance. A powerful portrayal of the journey endured by Lee’s grandmother through Angel Island and into American life, “Passages” presents a memorable narrative through stunning visuals. Works by Nancy Hom, Cynthia Tom, and Flo Oy Wong further explore themes of family and remembrance using a range of artistic expression, bearing unique witness to Chinese American history.

On Saturday, April 14, at 1pm, the CHSA Second Saturday program provides a deeper look into the installation “Passages: For Lee Ping To” with a performance by Lenora Lee Dance, and discussion with artist Lenora Lee (Free with Museum admission.) An Artists’ Q&A panel expanding on themes in the exhibition will be scheduled in June (TBA).

Founded in 1963, CHSA is the oldest and largest organization in the country dedicated to the documentation, study, and presentation of Chinese American history. In 2011, CHSA celebrates the 10th anniversary of its opening at the landmark Julia Morgan-designed Chinatown YWCA building in 2001. Through exhibitions, publications, and educational, public programming, CHSA promotes the contributions and legacy of Chinese America. The Chinese Historical Society of America is located at 965 Clay Street, San Francisco, 94108. Museum hours are Tuesday-Friday 12-5pm, and Saturdays 11am to 4pm. (Closed Sunday, Monday, and Holidays.) Admission to the museum is $5 for adults, $3 for students/seniors, $2 for children 6-17. The museum is free the first Thursday of the month. Further information on these and other programs at CHSA is available by calling (415) 391-1188 x101, or at www.chsa.org

Opening on March 24th and continuing its strong track record of exhibitions highlighting the work of the innovators and iconoclasts of the world of fashion, the de Young Museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park presents, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, the first exhibition devoted to the celebrated French designer and his personal themes of “equality, diversity and perversity.” The de Young is the exclusive west coast venue for this critically acclaimed international exhibition after its premier at the organizing institution, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and its presentation at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibition will be on view at the de Young in the Herbst Exhibition Galleries from March 24–August 19, 2012. Click here for ticket information: GAULTIER

Dubbed fashion’s “enfant terrible” from the time of his first runway shows in the 1970s, Jean Paul Gaultier is indisputably one of the most important fashion designers of recent decades. Very early on, his avant-garde fashions reflected an understanding of a multicultural society’s issues and preoccupations, shaking up—with invariable good humor—established societal and aesthetic codes. More of a contemporary installation than a fashion retrospective, this major exhibition—which the couturier considers to be a creation in its own right—features approximately 140 ensembles spanning over 35 years from the designer’s couture and ready-to-wear collections, along with their accessories, and numerous archival documents. Many of these extraordinary pieces have never before been exhibited.

“Was there ever a more perfect match than Jean Paul Gaultier and San Francisco?” asked John E. Buchanan, Jr., the recently deceased director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. “This exhibition fuses the energy of street culture with haute couture craftsmanship and presents it through the lens of cutting edge multimedia that is synonymous to the Bay Area. As the exclusive venue for previous exhibitions of the work of Vivienne Westwood, Yves Saint Laurent and Cristobal Balenciaga, we know the Bay Area is ready to explore the oeuvre of yet another master of design, Jean Paul Gaultier.

FAMSF curator of costume and textile arts Jill D’Alessandro expands, “Gaultier catapulted on to the fashion scene with his unconventional approach that drew inspiration from television, film, music and street culture. For the last four decades he has remained a catalyst for our times. This dynamic exhibition is a truly multi-media extravaganza complete with animated mannequins, runway clips and video excerpts from his extensive film and music collaborations, and succeeds in capturing the raw, sometimes chaotic energy that defines our contemporary lives and Gaultier’s world.”

“I wanted to create an exhibition on Jean Paul Gaultier more than any other couturier because of his great humanity,” explained Nathalie Bondil, Director and Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. “Beyond the technical virtuosity, an unbridled imagination, and ground-breaking artistic collaborations, Gaultier offers an open-minded vision of society, a crazy, sensitive, and sassy world in which everyone can assert his or her own identity through a unique ‘fusion couture.’”

Keenly interested in all the world’s cultures and countercultures, Gaultier has picked up on the current trends and proclaimed the right to be different, and in the process conceived a new kind of fashion in both the way it is made and worn. Through twists, transformations, transgressions and reinterpretations, he not only erases the boundaries between cultures but also the sexes, creating a new androgyny or playing with subverting established fashion codes.

A celebration of Gaultier’s daring inventiveness and humanist vision, this exhibition pays tribute to his cutting-edge fashion and explores the audaciously eclectic sources of his ideas. “Jean Paul Gaultier,” notes Thierry-Maxime Loriot, originating curator, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, “initiates trends rather than following them, which explains why he is still relevant after more than 35 years of creation. The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is not simply reminiscent of the past, but rather a link to the present as seen through the eyes of the couturier. By paying tribute to different cultures, mixing pop culture and couture, breaking the codes of fashion and taboos of society, you realize how open-minded and generous Gaultier’s fashion is. This unique exhibition offers visitors access to the world of Jean Paul Gaultier and haute couture, as well as articulating the strong social message behind his work, which truly defines his very own distinctive aesthetic.”

The multimedia installation is organized along six different thematic sections tracing the influences, from the streets of Paris to the world of science fiction, that have marked the couturier’s creative development:

The Odyssey of Jean Paul Gaultier—begins the exhibition with an exploration of several signature Gaultier motifs – the blue and white striped sailor shirt in all its themes and variations, spectacular mermaids and virgins, and welcomes the visitor with singing mannequins and a special cameo by the designer himself.

The Boudoir—explores Gaultier’s fascination with lingerie and underpinnings culminating in his signature collaboration with Madonna for her Blonde Ambition tour.

Metropolis—concludes the exhibition with a presentation of Gaultier’s work for film, performance pieces and his relationships with pop icons such as Kylie Minogue and Tina Turner.

Sketches, stage costumes, excerpts from films, runway shows, concerts, videos, dance performances and even television programs on view further explore how his avant-garde fashions challenged societal and aesthetic codes in unexpected, and often humorous ways. The many legendary artistic collaborations that have characterized Gaultier’s global vision are examined in film (Pedro Almodóvar, Peter Greenaway, Luc Besson, Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet); contemporary dance (Angelin Preljocaj, Régine Chopinot and Maurice Béjart); and within the realm of popular music through performers such as Madonna, whose friendship with Gaultier has led her to graciously lend two iconic corsets from her 1990 Blonde Ambition World Tour that launched the cone bra into fashion iconography.

An innovative exhibition design by the Paris-based architectural and stage design company Projectiles, showcases the couturier’s designs, as well as prints and video clips, illustrating many of Gaultier’s artistic collaborations. Throughout the galleries, thirty unique mannequins wearing remarkable wigs and headdresses by Odile Gilbert, founder of the Atelier 68 in Paris, come ‘alive’ with interactive faces created by technologically ingenious audiovisual projections, surprising visitors with their lifelike presence. Poetic and playful, the production, design and staging of this dynamic audiovisual element has been produced by Denis Marleau and Stéphanie Jasmin of UBU/Compagnie de création. A dozen celebrities, including Gaultier himself, have lent their faces—projected on to the mannequins—and often their voices to this project.

San Francisco Opera Guild hosts An Evening of Enchantment, Friday, March 23rd at The Fairmont, San Francisco. The black-tie gala will honor internationally renowned baritone Nathan Gunn, who will be performing the role of “Papageno” in San Francisco Opera’s upcoming new production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The event’s Honorary Chairman, Nathan Gunn, is acclaimed not only for his operatic roles, but also for his brilliant work in musical theater and as a distinguished concert performer. All proceeds support the award-winning education and community outreach programs of San Francisco Opera Guild that reach more than 55,000 young people in 200 schools throughout Northern California every year.

NATHAN GUNN

The celebratory evening will commence at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction in the Crown Room. At 8:00 p.m., guests will proceed to the elegant Gold Room for a lavish dinner, brief live auction, and special performance by Nathan Gunn. At 10 p.m., guests will celebrate with a toast to San Francisco Opera’s Summer season and dancing to Bill Hopkins Rock’n Orchestra. In addition, guests at the Patron Level and above will be invited to attend an exclusive VIP reception with Nathan Gunn in the magnificent Fairmont Penthouse Suite that evening. Click here for more information: GALA

The event Honorary Committee comprises of major supporters and patrons, including Jean-Pierre L. Conte; General Director of San Francisco Opera, David Gockley; Leslie and George Hume; Cathy and Angus MacNaughton; Teresa and Mark Medearis; Diane Rubin and Honorary Chairman Nathan Gunn. Event Co-Chairs are Shannon Cronan and Jane S. Mudge.

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE – Nathan Gunn as “Figaro”, Photo by Terrance McCarthy

About Nathan Gunn

Nathan Gunn made his San Francisco Opera debut as Figaro in the 2003 production of The Barber of Seville, a role that he reprised in 2006. He subsequently returned to the Company in the title role of Billy Budd and as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. This summer he appears as his appearance as Papageno The Magic Flute and Yeshua in the world premiere of Mark Adamo’s http://sfopera.com/Season-Tickets/2012-2013-Season/The-Gospel-of-Mary-Magdalene.aspx in 2013. In January 2010 Nathan sang a spectacular rendition of Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin at the Herbst Theatre accompanied by his wife Julie.

Nathan has appeared at major opera houses and festivals around the world including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Mostly Mozart Festival, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Paris Opera, Bavarian State Opera, Glyndebourne Festival, and the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. His many roles include the title role of Hamlet; the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro, Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucetia, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Belcore in L’Elisir d’Amore, and Ottone in L’incoronazione di Poppea. A frequent interpreter of new works, Gunn recently created the role of Paul in the world premiere of Daron Hagen’s Amelia at the Seattle Opera. He also created the roles of Alec Harvey in André Previn’s Brief Encounter at the Houston Grand Opera, Father Delura in Peter Eötvös’ Love and Other Demons at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, and Clyde Griffiths in Tobias Picker’s An American Tragedy at the Metropolitan Opera. Also a distinguished concert performer, Gunn has appeared the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Münchner Rundfunkorchster, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Gunn’s most recent solo album, Just Before Sunrise, was released on Sony/BMG Masterworks.

JULIE and NATHAN GUNN – In Recital, Schubert’s “Die Schöne Müllerin”

Other recordings include the title role in Billy Budd with Daniel Harding and the London Symphony Orchestra (Virgin Classics), which recently won the 2010 Grammy Award. He sings the role of “Joe” in the first complete recording of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Allegro; Peter Grimes with Sir Colin Davis and London Symphony Orchestra (LSO Live!) and nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award; Il Barbiere di Siviglia (SONY Classics); Kullervo with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Telarc); and American Anthem (EMI). He also starred as Buzz Aldrin in Man on the Moon, an opera written specifically for television and broadcast on the BBC in the UK. The program was awarded the Golden Rose Award for Opera at the Montreux Festival in Lucerne. Gunn recently returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute and made his debuts at the Theater an der Wien in The Rape of Lucretia, the Teatro Real in Madrid as the Count, and the Cincinnati Opera in the title role of Eugene Onegin.

The Summer 2012 Season at San Francisco Opera will feature three productions never before seen in San Francisco, opening on Friday, June 8th with the long-awaited Bay Area premiere of Nixon In China by Bay Area composer John Adams and librettist Alice Goodman. The season continues with the San Francisco debut of a co-production of Verdi’s Atilla, which premiered at La Scala in Summer 2011 and is conducted by Music Director Nicola Luisotti. The Summer Season concludes with the premiere of a new one-of-a-kind production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, sung in English and created by renowned Japanese-American visual artist Jun Kaneko and directed by Harry Silverstein. San Francisco Opera’s Summer 2012 Season runs June 8th through July 8th at the War Memorial Opera House.

THE MAGIC FLUTE – Nathan Gunn as “Papageno”

About San Francisco Opera Guild
Founded in 1939 to support arts education and San Francisco Opera,

has acted on its belief that the life lessons drawn from creative expression are the foundation of confidence and integrity. Celebrating 70 years of offering award winning K-12 education programs and engaging community outreach programs, its mission is to give voice to potential, extending the impact of opera and bringing it center stage into the life of the community. Each year, through San Francisco Opera Guild’s fundraising and education fund, more than 55,000 students in 200 schools throughout Northern California discover the power of arts education to help them find their voice.

Nicola Luisotti has been appointed Music Director of Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy, effective immediately. The news was announced over the weekend by General Director Rosanna Purchia and the Board of Directors of the Teatro di San Carlo Foundation following a meeting where the unanimous decision was taken. Maestro Luisotti succeeds former Principal Conductor Maurizio Benini and Music Director Jeffrey Tate. Born and raised in Tuscany, the 50-year old Luisotti is currently Music Director of San Francisco Opera and Principal Guest Conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic.

NICOLA LUISOTTI. Photo, Terrence McCarthy

The oldest theater in Europe and one of Italy’s most prestigious opera houses, Teatro di San Carlo is renowned not only for its beauty but for its legendary acoustics. Founded in 1737, many of opera’s most famous composers spent significant time at the theatre, including Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. In 2010, the theater was re-opened after an important period of restoration where the magnificent five-level horseshoe of boxes which are upholstered in red and decorated in gold leaf, frescoed ceiling and beautifully painted stage curtain were renewed to their original glory.

Full details of the appointment will be announced at an official ceremony and press conference on March 7th when Maestro Luisotti will be at San Carlo to begin rehearsals for Verdi’s I Masnadieri, in a production directed by Gabriele Lavia.

GIACOMO PUCCINI, Composer – NICOLA LUISOTTI, Conductor

“I have spent a good deal of time abroad in the last ten years of my career. My heart fills with joy at the thought of spending so much more time in my home country with such a prestigious appointment,” said Maestro Luisotti speaking from Philadelphia where he is leading concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra. “And the joy is even greater when I think of how deeply this Theatre was influenced, in recent years, by the presence of a man such as Riccardo Muti, with whom I had the honor of working at La Scala.”

General Director Rosanna Purchia commented, “Nicola is young and enthusiastic and has had a bright career that took him to the most important theatres in the world, from Covent Garden to the Met, from La Scala to our San Carlo. In the United States he is recognized as one of the best interpreters of Italian opera. With his appointment, we want the San Carlo to aim higher and higher.”

Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris, the foundation president, expressed his satisfaction: “We chose Luisotti because he is a high profile conductor, young, Italian…and this is a source of great pride for us. We are sure he will contribute to the success of this great theatre both in Italy and the rest of the world.”

“We at San Francisco Opera are thrilled that Nicola Luisotti has been appointed music director of the San Carlo, one of the world’s great lyric theaters,” said San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley. “This announcement is a tribute to his musical talent and leadership.” Nicola Luisotti’s position as San Francisco Opera’s music director began in September 2009 and continues through the 2015-16 season.

Since his international debut in 2002, Conductor Luisotti has garnered enthusiastic praise from both audiences and critics throughout the world, especially for his work in Puccini’s Tosca and La Bohème and the rarely performed La fanciulla del West at both San Francisco Opera and the Met. In conjunction with these 100th Anniversary performances Luisotti was awarded the Premio Puccini Award.

Luisotti’s third season at San Francisco Opera’s Music Director of San Francisco Opera continues in June with a new Gabriele Lavia production of Attila, co-produced with Teatro alla Scala. In addition to I Masnadieri and concerts with the Orchestra del Teatro di San Carlo in late March, Maestro Luisotti’s operatic engagements this season include a return visit to La Scala for Turandot in April. Luisotti will also make appearances with six great orchestras this season including his own San Francisco Opera Orchestra presented by Cal Performances, the Berliner Philharmoniker, Orchestra del Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Madrid’s Orquesta Nacional de España and the orchestras of Cleveland and Philadelphia.

BAY AREA CABARET continues its 2011-2012 season January 15, 2012 with two-time Tony Award winning actress/singer Christine Ebersole. Ebersole makes her Venetian Room debut with her new show from New York’s Café Carlyle about youth, age, and Hollywood illusions. This special one-night-only engagement will take place at the historic Venetian Room of The Fairmont San Francisco (950 Mason Street) 5:00 pm Sunday, January 15th. Bay Area Cabaret’s season continues February 26th with appearances by jazz guitarist/singer John Pizzarelli, including a second, newly added show featuring Pizzarelli and his wife, Broadway star Jessica Molaskey, and May 12th with Tony winner Laura Benanti. Click here to order tickets on-line: Bay Area Cabaret

CHRISTINE EBERSOLE

Christine’s show mixes standards from her vast repertoire, ranging from the poignant “Another Winter in Summer Town” from the Broadway musical Grey Gardens, to the rollicking Sophie Tucker number “You Can’t Deep Freeze a Red Hot Mama.” Ebersole has enchanted audiences throughout her performing career on the Broadway stage, in television series and specials, films, concert appearances, and recordings. Her many accolades include two Tony Awards for her performances as “Edith Beale” and “Little Edie Beale” in the Broadway musical Grey Gardens, and as “Dorothy Brock” in the smash hit revival of 42nd Street. Other memorable stage performances include roles in Steel Magnolias, On the Twentieth Century, Oklahoma, Dinner at Eight (Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations), The Best Man, and the recent revival of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. She has starred in five City Center Encores! Productions, most recently receiving praise for her starring role as “Margo Channing” in Applause.

CHRISTINE EBERSOLE (Katerina Cavalieri) & F. MURRAY ABRAHAM (Salieri)

Ms. Ebersole’s many hit film appearances include roles in Amadeus, Tootsie, Richie Rich, Black Sheep, Dead Again, Folks!, Ghost Dad, True Crime, My Girl 2, Mac and Me, and Confessions of a Shopaholic. She also has an extensive list of television credits, including recent appearances on Retired at 35, Royal Pains, Ugly Betty, Law and Order: SVU, Boston Legal, Samantha Who, and Will and Grace.

In concert, Christine Ebersole has appeared in numerous halls throughout the country. Most recently, she performed in the concert version of the opera The Grapes of Wrath at Carnegie Hall. Ebersole participated in the Opening Night Gala of Carnegie Hall’s 118th Season and has also appeared with the San Francisco Symphony in its tribute to Leonard Bernstein. After making her debut with the Boston Pops three years ago, she returned to Boston’s Symphony Hall and Tanglewood to star as “Desiree Armfeldt” in a concert version of A Little Night Music with the Boston Pops. In televised concerts, she has had star turns in Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall and The Rodgers & Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty. In December 2010, she performed for the second time on the Kennedy Center Honors.

A celebrated recording artist, Ebersole has released such albums as Christine Ebersole: Live at the Cinegrill; In Your Dreams; Sunday in New York, and the newly released Christine Ebersole Sings Noel Coward.

CHRISTINE EBERSOLE: Sings Noel Coward

Click on the photo to order CD on-line.

Album includes such classic hits as: Someday I’ll Find You; Mad About the Boy; Sail Away; I’ll See You Again, and more.

San Francisco Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER is spectacular. Choreographed by Helgi Tomasson and presented first in 2004, the ballet’s setting in San Francisco at the time of the 1915 World’s Fair continues to provide that unusual touch of magic and sense of wonder which distinguishes this realization of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s most popular ballet. Though the darker side of the original storyline is suppressed in favor of a more up-lifting attitude and charm, the special effects of scenic designer Michael Yeargan and lighting designer James F. Ingalls seduce the viewer into a dazzling world that waits just one step beyond and into the outer limits.

WALTZ OF THE SNOWFLAKESAll production photos by Erik Tomasson

The brilliant costume designs by Martin Pakledinaz are in true “Once upon a time” storybook tradition, reflecting the elegance of the City’s Edwardian period, the best in toy store novelty for the warring mice and Nutcracker Prince, and regal opulence for the King and Queen of the Snow, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Clara’s golden transformation in the Grand Pas de Deux. The Company is fortunate in having Martin West as its Music Director. Acknowledged as one of the best conductors of ballet in the world, Mr. West brings freshness and zeal to the traditions of the score and is absolutely on the mark with the dynamics of the principle dancers.

FRANCES CHUNG – as “The Sugar Plum Fairy”

The Opening Night cast included Nicole Finken as “Clara” and Gennadi Nedvigin as her Nutcracker Prince. Following his stunning performance as “Franz” in last season’s Coppelia, Mr. Nedvigin continually proves his versatility as a romantic leading man. Again paired with the wondrous Maria Kotchekova, the couple were a sensational match in the climactic Grand Pas de Deux. The mischief and acrobatic delights of the “Dancing Dolls” was provided by Garen Scribner, Clara Blanco, and Daniel Baker. Newlyweds Davit Karapetyan and Vanessa Zahorian were featured as the “King and Queen of the Snow”, and sweet and lovely Frances Chung was the perfect “Sugar Plum Fairy”. Elana Altman and her muscular partners Quinn Wharton and Anthony Spaulding were a hot and spicy blend in The Arabian Dance (aka, the “Coffee Dance”). Lonnie Weeks was amazingly aggressive in the “Chinese Dance”, followed by the totally charming members of the best Dragon in town. Pascal Molat again brought the biggest roar from the crowd with his gravity-defying leaps in The Russian Dance.

ARABIAN DANCE – Quinn Wharton, Elana Altman, Anthony Spaulding

PASCAL MOLAT and LONNIE WEEKS

The Nutcracker continues through December 27th. Click here for ticket information: THE NUTCRACKER

This Christmas, send a child to the ballet. Created in 1992, San Francisco Ballet’s Children’s Enchantment Fund provides under-served children and families the opportunity to see San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker free of charge – and you can help. For many, the Children’s Enchantment Fund (CHEF) offers both a first trip to the War Memorial Opera House and a rare opportunity to see a live dance performance. Through San Francisco Ballet’s partnership with Community Access Ticket Services, which identifies families served by over 100 social service agencies throughout the Bay Area, the Children’s Enchantment Fund has so far enabled over 27,000 under-served children and their families to attend San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker at no cost. This has been made possible by the generosity of individual ballet trustees and patrons. Click here to help send a child to the ballet this holiday season Children’s Enchantment Fund.

San Francisco Opera Center Director Sheri Greenawald announced today the ten recipients of the 2012 Adler Fellowship. The prestigious resident artist training program has nurtured the development of more than 140 young artists since its inception.

The two pianists selected for Apprentice Coach Fellowships are Robert Mollicone (East Greenwich, Rhode Island) and returning Adler Fellow David Hanlon (Arlington, Virginia). The Adler Fellow Apprentice Coaches work closely with Mark Morash, Director of Musical Studies of the Opera Center, and John Churchwell, Head of Music Staff at San Francisco Opera. The Coaches participate in the musical activities of both San Francisco Opera and the Opera Center, and are involved in all aspects of the Adler Fellows’ training by acting as pianists for classes, playing for other master coaches as well as preparing the Adler Fellows for concerts and main-stage roles.

“As always, I am very pleased to announce our new 2012 class of Adler Fellows,” said San Francisco Opera Center Director Sheri Greenawald. “It is inspiring to work with such talented young artists. Helping them develop their burgeoning musical careers is truly a rewarding experience.”

The Adler Fellowship Program is a performance-oriented residency offering advanced young artists intensive individual training, coaching, professional seminars and a wide range of performance opportunities throughout their fellowship. Adler Fellows also gain valuable professional experience by performing roles of increasing importance in San Francisco Opera’s main-stage season. The Adler Fellows are selected from the young artists who have participated in the Merola Opera Program.

In addition to performances on the main stage of the War Memorial Opera House, Adler Fellows enjoy a variety of performance opportunities throughout their fellowship. The 2012 Adlers will perform a co-production of the chamber opera Love/Hate by composer Jack Perla with Oberlin Dance Collective (ODC) in San Francisco on April 12, 14 and 15. Selected Adler Fellows will also be featured in the Schwabacher Debut Recital Series (at Temple Emanu-El’s Martin Meyer Sanctuary in San Francisco), which was created to spotlight artists who have participated in the programs of the San Francisco Opera Center.

The Adler Fellows’ season culminates with a special year-end concert featuring the singers in an evening of opera scenes and arias with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. This year’s concert, The Future Is Now: Adler Fellows Gala Concert, showcasing the acclaimed 2011 Adler Fellows in concert with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, takes place on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

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